Started By
Message
re: Memphis, New Orleans also bid for SEC Baseball
Posted on 2/26/16 at 10:56 pm to bbvdd
Posted on 2/26/16 at 10:56 pm to bbvdd
AS travel by air is prohibitively expensive for this tournament, Birmingham/Hoover makes the most sense for fans driving to the game for the most teams in the conference as it's less then a 3 hour drive from Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Oxford, Starkville, Athens, Nashville, & Knoxville.
The only other relatively central area for driving would be Nashville, but it's not as close for most schools and I'm not sure your could secure the facility and parking
The only other relatively central area for driving would be Nashville, but it's not as close for most schools and I'm not sure your could secure the facility and parking
1
Posted on 2/26/16 at 10:59 pm to droliver
It is a tournament that most teams are invited to, every single year.
It is not like the SEC Championship Game where only two teams go per year.
Move it around and let every fanbase experience it every few years.
It is not like the SEC Championship Game where only two teams go per year.
Move it around and let every fanbase experience it every few years.
Posted on 2/26/16 at 11:40 pm to TheSwineAssault
quote:
Born,raised,work in memphis and can assure u that Hogs and ole miss fans rule that town in regards to SEC baseball fandom.
I can assure you LSU fans will show up in droves. I know 1st hand growing up in more ways than one that Memphis has a pretty strong LSU fan/Alumni base.
This post was edited on 2/26/16 at 11:40 pm
Posted on 2/27/16 at 12:23 am to memphisplaya
Like I said early on in this thread the new Nashville Park is just so generic and ho hum. Really thought they'd have done better but El Paso Texas ran circles around them in about he same time span for a new stadium.
All the added hotels going into downtown Memphis will also lead to them bidding on the Basketball tourney again in the future and having a better case for it.
All the added hotels going into downtown Memphis will also lead to them bidding on the Basketball tourney again in the future and having a better case for it.
Posted on 2/27/16 at 12:25 am to Chittlins
It just needs to be moved to downtown Birmingham, at Regions Field.
Posted on 2/27/16 at 1:02 am to wmr
Agreed. Tired of so many conference events always being in Alabama.
Memphis has decent air connections with all the SEC cities.
Hoover sux for people flying in.
Memphis has decent air connections with all the SEC cities.
Hoover sux for people flying in.
This post was edited on 2/27/16 at 1:12 am
Posted on 2/27/16 at 1:10 am to GeorgeWest
(no message)
This post was edited on 2/27/16 at 1:11 am
Posted on 2/27/16 at 2:21 am to FishFearMe
quote:
Memphis has decent air connections with all the SEC cities.
If not for Delta, Memphis would be extremely easy to fly into.
Everyone could catch a nonstop. Unfortunately now, not so much. Likely only people in Dallas, Houston, Charlotte, and Miami would have nonstops to Memphis.
I still say Memphis, since its closer to the schools that are known for traveling for the tournament.
Posted on 2/27/16 at 2:48 am to wmr
quote:
It is a tournament that most teams are invited to, every single year.
It is not like the SEC Championship Game where only two teams go per year.
Move it around and let every fanbase experience it every few years.
Makes too much sense. Hoover is pretty close to the center of the conference.. but I just think the location is played. I've been to the SECT once and while I think it's great, it could be so much more.
For some reason, SEC East fanbases largely avoid going to Hoover, even for a really big fanbase/established program like South Carolina.. we never travel to Hoover in droves (mostly due to how we typically refuse to show up and play). But even for the other powerhouse programs in the East, like Vandy and Florida.. their fans don't show up in droves either.
Tournament attendance is bad enough from the East teams.. If the SECT is moved to New Orleans or any other city that's really far west then you're only going to further isolate the SEC East teams from the Tourney.
I think the most fair option is to establish a set location in a SEC East state - Georgia, Florida or South Carolina preferably... and a western location in a SEC West state - Louisiana, Alabama. western Tennessee?
The importance of schools like LSU, Arkansas, Ole Miss and MSU to SEC baseball is understood.. but it's about time the conference spread the love to the big programs in the East.
This post was edited on 2/27/16 at 2:55 am
Posted on 2/27/16 at 3:24 am to DorchesterGamecock
quote:
I think the most fair option is to establish a set location in a SEC East state - Georgia, Florida or South Carolina preferably... and a western location in a SEC West state - Louisiana, Alabama. western Tennessee?
I think most fans would be more than happy, with say Memphis and Gwinnet. I don't think it should be any further west or east. JMO
Posted on 2/27/16 at 8:01 am to Tiger Live2
Memphis is much more accommodating in terms of hotel costs.
Nashville hotel prices are rapidly rising towards NYC level.
Nashville hotel prices are rapidly rising towards NYC level.
Posted on 2/27/16 at 8:08 am to Chittlins
I would totally go to that. Never even considered going to hoover
Posted on 2/27/16 at 8:09 am to wmr
quote:
Move it around and let every fanbase experience it every few years.
^
Posted on 2/27/16 at 8:33 am to bbvdd
quote:
Louisville?
really? Could you get any further from every school?
Kentucky - 1 hr
Vandy - 2 1/2 hrs
Tennessee - 3 1/2 hrs
Mizzou - 5 1/2 hrs
Alabama - 6 hrs
Ole Miss - 6 1/2 hrs
South Carolina - 7 hrs
Georgia - 7 hrs
Looks like several schools well within a half day's drive. Hoover is 6 hrs for UK, 9 hrs for Mizzou, 8 hrs for Arky, and so on. And don't even get me started on the drive for the upper half of the SEC schools to NOLA.
Louisville also isn't anymore an ACC town than Atlanta is.
There's no reason they couldn't host in Louisville in a rotation with various other locations (which is what I assumed was the discussion, not a permanent single site).
Posted on 2/27/16 at 8:34 am to DorchesterGamecock
quote:Except for South Carolina, East largely avoid going to their home games so they sure as hell aren't going to drive to another state for the tournament. Even the South Carolina fans don't come in piles to Hoover and it wouldn't change if it was in Nashville (except the little guy in the suspenders and hard hat will go wherever they play). Ray Tanner had a different use for the tournament than most and his fans knew they were probably 2 and out because most years they had at least a Regional host if not Super. So why travel 400 miles for two games? Ever see a Florida home game against an SEC opponent? A couple of thousand; Maybe?
For some reason, SEC East fanbases largely avoid going to Hoover,
Posted on 2/27/16 at 8:36 am to DorchesterGamecock
quote:
think the most fair option is to establish a set location in a SEC East state - Georgia, Florida or South Carolina preferably... and a western location in a SEC West state - Louisiana, Alabama. western Tennessee?
If you went that route, I think Nashville would actually make more sense for an East location.
Posted on 2/27/16 at 8:42 am to BluegrassBelle
I would love to see it come to Biloxi but I don't think the stadium is big enough and they have no RV parking at all close by.
Posted on 2/27/16 at 8:46 am to BluegrassBelle
quote:I honestly think it would do damage to attendance to move the thing too far from the LSU fan base. Memphis is probably about as far as it needs to move; if it moves. I can remember the year that Kentucky won the SEC and there was not a large contingent of fans at Hoover. Before Vandy started their serious run, they were still fielding decent teams and it was basically players' parents that traveled to Hoover. Most of the Florida fans I saw, I also saw in the RV park. No offense to the East but 3 or 4 West teams drive the attendance to this thing. I have watched it evolve for a number of years now. It really helps when both Auburn and Alabama are good and then of course Ole Miss, LSU and MSU need to be there. Memphis wouldn't hurt that too much. Nashville would.
If you went that route, I think Nashville would actually make more sense for an East location.
Posted on 2/27/16 at 9:28 am to Diamondawg
quote:
No offense to the East but 3 or 4 West teams drive the attendance to this thing. I have watched it evolve for a number of years now. It really helps when both Auburn and Alabama are good and then of course Ole Miss, LSU and MSU need to be there. Memphis wouldn't hurt that too much. Nashville would.
Do you think that's maybe because it's been in Hoover for so long and for a lot of the East teams that's a fairly good hike?
No one is saying it has to be moved from the West teams on a yearly basis. But you're going to get a larger variety of fanbases if it rotates. And that rotation at the very least should include Nashville.
Posted on 2/27/16 at 9:38 am to BluegrassBelle
quote:No - I am saying East teams don't attend home games (except South Carolina). Nashville is 2 1/2 hours from Birmingham. Baton Rouge is over 5 from Birmingham and about the same to Memphis. Reward the fans that have a supported it over the years and keep it close for them. Baton Rouge would be an 8 hour+ drive to Nashville. Lots on here say if it moved to Nashville then all the different alumni bases would support it. Maybe - but screw them. They haven't supported in the past and moving that far would cause many that have supported over the years to stay at home.
Do you think that's maybe because it's been in Hoover for so long and for a lot of the East teams that's a fairly good hike?
No one is saying it has to be moved from the West teams on a yearly basis. But you're going to get a larger variety of fanbases if it rotates. And that rotation at the very least should include Nashville.
Page 5 of 6
Popular
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News